Happy Spring Semester to all! All the students have returned to William Woods and we are delving into our new course schedule during the first week of classes! Stress runs high but there is no better way to blow off some steam than to head to baseball practice! That's right, the beginning of spring semester marks the beginning of baseball and softball season! The Owls Softball and Baseball teams are both coming off of highly successful seasons after both made a trip to the National Tournament in 2014. The opening day of the Owls Baseball season is February 6th in Tennessee. Preseason polls have the Owls Baseball team ranked number 25 in the United States in the NAIA, and the Owls Softball team at number 19! We will keep working hard to uphold the principles of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership while we prepare for our competition and throughout the season. Best of luck to all spring sports and as always, Go Owls!

The WWU Owls emblem sits proudly on the entrance to the Helen Stevens Memorial Complex.

Owls Softball practices in the indoor facility to beat the weather while they prep for season.

It is a busy time here at The Woods! In the past week I have done so many different things, it has been great.

Last week we had campus wide Greek Week! All of the fraternities and sororities across campus came together as a community and talked about what it means to be Greek and gave to a great cause. Every house had a Greek God/Goddess to wear a backpack everywhere they went to raise money for the Buddy Back Pack Program. This program was started by a school teacher when one of her students was crying because they had to go home for a break and they knew there was not going to be regular meals like lunch at school. Now the program provides food for kids to take home so they can have regular meals all the time!

Katie Hodges shows off her backpack

Other than raising money, the Greek Gods and Goddesses participated in a Greek trivia, chapter members received Greek Awards, and we had an all Greek BBQ. We also spend time volunteering for SERVE, a local soup kitchen. It was a very fun and eventful week!

Greek God and Goddess Trivia

Greek Superlative Winners

Volunteering at the soup kitchen

Over the weekend the Dressage program held the Completely Relaxed Spring Schooling Show. I did not ride in the show, but I did help work it. It was really neat to watch all the different riders perform their tests. For Dressage, the goal is to get a certain percentage on a certain test in a certain level. Each rider performs their test (or tests) individually, and then is scored by a judge. I got to work in the scoring room so I learned a lot about all the different types of tests. Coming up in April is the USEF/USDF licensed Dressage show. I am very excited to get to watch and help with that too!

My Mentor/Mentee project is moving along quite well! Last week my mentor, Professor Jean Kraus, sent our first website module to one of her classes for a test drive! I can't wait to meet with her later to discuss the feedback.

In the Biology world I have been learning more and more things not only in my classes, but also as a work study. Dr. Nicholas Pullen has been doing some research with live mammalian cell lines (including some cancer), and he has been teaching me how to keep the different cells alive! I am really enjoying the experience. It is really fun to get to have this type of lab experience.

It is crazy how quickly the semester is flying by! I already had my advising appointment so I can sign up for classes next fall. It is crazy to think that once we get back from spring break it will be April!

I am really excited for next week. My family and I are going to Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando, FL! I will be sure to take pictures and get some quality time with my family!

It has been beautiful out for the past few days here at The Woods! Spring is starting to roll in. The sun is shining, it has been warm, and everyone is enjoying time outside!

Yesterday when I was walking back to my room from class, I felt all the happiness that comes with getting outside after winter. The fraternity and sorority houses had their front doors open with music blasting, and a lot of students were outside playing catch. Everyone seems to have a little spring in their step!

At my sorority, the girls like to lay out on the lawn to get some sun. We have a small pool that we fill up when it's warm enough to dip our feet in. Sometimes we get creative, and put a tarp in the bed of a pick up and then fill it with water! Yesterday the girls were outside with their feet in the pool, and a few more were laying in the grass with the music going and a gentle breeze. Everyone welcomed the study break!

Hanging out in the sun outside Alpha Phi

Another great thing about the beautiful weather is that there are chances to get LEAD points outside! In the fall people often go to the soccer games. This time of year, baseball is playing. It's a super fun way to earn a LEAD point. You just bring your bottle of water and a few snacks and watch the game with your friends!

Watching the ball game

Big Sis and Little Sis fun at the baseball game!

Another fun way to get some LEAD points outside is through frisbee golf! I had never hear of this game before I came to The Woods, but apparently it is pretty popular. You just check out some discs from Weider Fitness Center, and there is a course than runs all over campus. The object is to throw the disc into the metal nets with the fewest tries. I've done it a few times and even though I don't have the best aim, it is a lot of fun to run around our beautiful campus with a group of friends.

Campus Activities Board also hosts some outdoor events where you can get LEAD points! Last fall they hosted an outdoor moving night and we had a concert on the dock. I really enjoy all the different types of LEAD events at The Woods, especially when I can take a break and go outside.

I love spring weather! Everyone seems a little brighter and it is great to get outdoors. We are getting ready for Spring Break here at The Woods, it is just over a week away! I'm excited to go to Disney World with my family. Then we will come back and I'm sure the rest of the semester will just fly by! Enjoy the sunshine